Short range bullet



Dec. 27, 1932. J MATTHEWS 1,892,158

SHORT RANGE BULLET Filed May 26. 1931 IIHIII IIIIIIHW\ IN V EN TOR.

I duhn Matthews BY M /@M ATTORNEY Fatented Dec. 27, 1932 UitiTiEfiSTATEfi JOHN MATTHEWS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SHORT RANGE BULL-ETApplication filed May 26, 1931.

Serial No. 540,066.

(GRANTED UNDER THE AC1 OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370O. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the paymentto me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to bullets and more particularly it has referenceto a short-range, practice bullet.

The principal considerations governing the design of a practice bulletare accuracy of flight, a trajectory conforming throughout its shortrange to that of the service bullet, and cheapness of manufacture.

In meeting these requirements the bullet forming the subject of thepresent invention is characterized by a hollow body having a closed baseand an open nose.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides inthe novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood thatchanges in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed maybe made Within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of the improved bullet and Fig. 2 isa longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of reference:

The bullet consists of a hollow body 5 whose external dimensions aresubstantially identical with a service bullet, on Which it is patterned.

The tapered nose 6 is cut ofl to establish 4() an aperture 7 having adiameter equal to approximately one-third of the internal diameter ofthe body. The wall defining the aperture is internally beveled as at 8to provide a flared mouth and sharp rim 9 adapted to facilitate theflight of the bullet through the air.

The rear end of the body is closed by a base 10 of approximately twicethe thickness of the wall of the body, and pressed inwardly so as at 10ato give greater strength.

The rear portion a-b of the body in rear of the cannelure 11 has adiameter slightly in excess of the remaining portion in order to providea bearing for taking the rifling of the gun barrel. The bearing issubstantially one-half caliber in length and this is onehalf of thelength of the bearing in the service cartridge. The efiect is to reduceWear of the gun barrel and also by reducing the resistance of the bulletin the barrel permit the employment of a smaller propellant charge.

The bullet is preferably formed of gilding metal and has a weight ofapproximately 35 grains for the .30 caliber size. As constructed itstrajectory closely follows the trajectory of the service cartridge up toabout 300 yards. Variations in the effective range may be controlled byvarying the weight of the bullet and in the propellant charge. 7

Except for the closed base and the open nose, which two features areprovided to afford retardation in flight, the improved practice bulletis similar to the jacket of the service bullet and accordingly it may beformed in the same manner.

I claim:

1. A bullet comprising a hollow body, a closed base for the body havinga thiclmess substantially double the thickness of the 0 body, and atapered nose cut off to form an aperture with a flared mouth and havinga diameter substantially one-third the diameter of the body, and therear portion of, the body being enlarged to form a bearing ap- 5proximately one-half caliber in length.

2. A one piece bullet comprising a hollow body having a short bearing atits rear end and a fixed closed base of greater thickness than the body,a portion of said base indented to afiord strength to the bearing.

3. A practice bullet comprising a thin walled hollow body, a closed basefor the body having a thickness substantially double the thickness ofthe walls of the body, an elongated tapered nose cut off to form anaperture and the rearmost portion of the body enlarged to form abearing.

JOHN MATTHEWS.

